https://www.scmp.com/rss/519228/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nuclear weapons testing has affected every single human on the planet, causing at least 4 million premature deaths from cancer and other diseases over time, according to a new report delving into the deadly legacy. More than 2,400 nuclear devices were detonated in tests conducted worldwide between 1945 and 2017. Of the nine countries known to possess nuclear weapons - Russia, the United States, China, France, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea - only Pyongyang has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3340778/past-nuclear-weapon-tests-linked-4-million-premature-deaths-globally-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3340778/past-nuclear-weapon-tests-linked-4-million-premature-deaths-globally-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 04:33:25 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li A group of 12 paddlers from Hong Kong have become the first team from the city to complete the Hawaiki Nui Va’a – an annual three-day outrigger canoe race in French Polynesia and one of the world’s toughest ocean endurance events. The team, known as the Aloha Adventure Squad, spent eight months training before travelling to Tahiti in October for the event, which covers about 128 kilometres (80 miles) across four islands: Huahine, Raiatea, Taha’a and Bora Bora. Most of the squad met through the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3337848/12-hour-races-humpback-whales-12-man-hong-kong-canoe-team-make-pacific-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3337848/12-hour-races-humpback-whales-12-man-hong-kong-canoe-team-make-pacific-history?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 02:00:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Japanese warships docked in New Zealand’s capital of Wellington on Friday for the first time in almost 90 years amid efforts by Tokyo to deepen its strategic ties in the South Pacific Ocean. Two destroyers with more than 500 crew on board sailed into Wellington harbour accompanied by the New Zealand navy ship HMNZS Canterbury. The JS Ise and destroyer JS Suzunami were on an Indo-Pacific deployment and arrived from Sydney, where Japan’s military took part this month in war games involving New... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3321184/japanese-warships-sail-wellington-first-time-90-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3321184/japanese-warships-sail-wellington-first-time-90-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 05:16:15 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s coming visit to China later this summer presents a timely chance to reframe Australia–China relations through an increasingly vital lens: climate cooperation. With bilateral ties having largely stabilised since 2022 and a joint Australia–Pacific bid for the 2026 UN climate summit under way, climate action offers a promising platform for stronger engagement. The rationale for cooperation is clear. Australia possesses vast reserves of critical minerals... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316466/climate-action-china-aligns-australias-security-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316466/climate-action-china-aligns-australias-security-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Nicole Cheah Nicole Cheah Pacific island nations are racing to enhance marine conservation, establishing sweeping “no-take” zones and pledging to sustainably manage vast swathes of their territorial waters despite facing limited resources and geopolitical pressure. Among them, Samoa last month unveiled a ban on fishing, mining and other extractive activities over 30 per cent of its ocean territory by 2027. The move will create 36,000 sq km (13,900 square miles) of marine protected areas (MPAs) – more than 12 times the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315979/pacific-island-nations-tap-indigenous-know-how-safeguard-ocean-health?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315979/pacific-island-nations-tap-indigenous-know-how-safeguard-ocean-health?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 01:30:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse China tried to mislead foreign governments in 2024 by playing down the importance of a nuclear-capable missile test over the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand diplomats privately warned in documents obtained by reporters. Beijing sent shivers through the South Pacific in September 2024, when its elite Rocket Force fired a dummy warhead into the high seas near French Polynesia. A tranche of classified government briefing notes shows deep concern within the New Zealand government in the wake of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3314874/classified-new-zealand-papers-detail-alarm-over-chinas-pacific-missile-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3314874/classified-new-zealand-papers-detail-alarm-over-chinas-pacific-missile-test?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jun 2025 05:23:44 +0000 In 2018, I travelled solo to the French Polynesian islands. By day I surfed, snorkelled, sailed and swam, stopping only to sleep in an over-the-water bungalow on stilts. On my final night, I lay on my belly, face peering through the glass-bottomed hut as neon fish darted between pylons and coral gardens. That is when I vowed to return some day to this living postcard with my husband. Recently, that day came to fruition by means of transport we vowed to never experience: a cruise ship. Obviously... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3303606/paradise-found-polynesian-cruise-passengers-after-detour-marquesas-islands-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3303606/paradise-found-polynesian-cruise-passengers-after-detour-marquesas-islands-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:15:10 +0000 Sailing is all about balance. I step over the narrow bow of the bug to take the outstretched hand of Alexis Moerai, aka Galax, who has been paddling and sailing around Tahiti’s lagoons since childhood. Nowadays, he shows tourists how to sail a holopuni. Developed by Hawaiian Nick Beck in the early 1980s, the canoe is based on an ancient Polynesian design, with a slender hull nine metres (30ft) long, two outriggers for stability and a sail. Modern materials make it lightning fast and easy to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3289126/how-moana-holiday-sailing-tahiti-offers-taste-polynesian-seafaring-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3289126/how-moana-holiday-sailing-tahiti-offers-taste-polynesian-seafaring-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 20:15:08 +0000 It was the seductive call of the wind and the waves that first lured Syasya Syahirah Nor Azmi to give up her life in the bustling capital of Malaysia’s Penang Island for the gentle sway of a sailing boat more than 18,000km (11,000 miles) away from home. Through her Instagram account, “Syasya Syahirah Adventure Life”, the 28-year-old adventurer offers followers a window into her life aboard a Beneteau 57 sailing boat, living in harmony with the rhythm of the sea off the coasts of Costa Rica,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3260553/she-left-malaysia-sail-world-seeking-freedom-adventure-and-soft-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3260553/she-left-malaysia-sail-world-seeking-freedom-adventure-and-soft-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Apr 2024 08:00:19 +0000 The armed forces of China and France have set up a new inter-theatre cooperation and dialogue mechanism, as tensions continue to rise in the South China Sea. Collaboration between the two militaries’ naval and air forces will help to further deepen mutual trust and cooperation, and jointly safeguard regional security and stability, China’s defence ministry said in a statement on Friday. General Wang Xiubin, commander of the People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command, and French Rear... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3260645/china-france-agree-deepen-military-cooperation-south-china-sea-tensions-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3260645/china-france-agree-deepen-military-cooperation-south-china-sea-tensions-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Apr 2024 13:30:26 +0000 China’s Yang Siqi has spoken of her surprise after earning the right to become her country’s first Olympic surfer – not to mention being, at just 14 years old, the youngest person to qualify in her sport for the Paris Games. The teen claimed her spot by progressing through the repechage rounds on Friday at the World Surfing Games (WSG) in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, beating British surf-skate phenomenon Sky Brown and Costa Rica’s 2021 Olympian Brisa Hennessy. Yang was formally awarded her place when... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3253948/china-has-its-first-olympic-surfer-yang-siqi-14-becomes-youngest-paris-qualifier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3253948/china-has-its-first-olympic-surfer-yang-siqi-14-becomes-youngest-paris-qualifier?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Mar 2024 12:10:17 +0000 This year, millions of sports enthusiasts will make their way to Paris as the city hosts its most monumental event in recent history: the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Preparations are well under way, from infrastructural projects such as road and rail improvements within the centre of Paris to constructing a new arena at Porte de la Chapelle as well as the Olympic and Paralympic Village. Yet French Transport Minister Clément Beaune has been issuing warnings that transport conditions... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3249210/surfing-tahiti-football-marseille-how-see-2024-olympics-without-going-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3249210/surfing-tahiti-football-marseille-how-see-2024-olympics-without-going-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jan 2024 01:00:24 +0000 As China flexes its muscles in the region, European powers have increasingly made their presence felt through defence arrangements and naval port calls, prompting questions on whether their presence is helpful or a hindrance to safety in contested waters. But experts do agree that common interests in ensuring access to secure maritime routes mean that European powers will continue to extend their outreach into what is now known by many as the Indo-Pacific. In 2021, a German warship sailed into... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3247451/likely-agitate-china-european-powers-step-their-indo-pacific-presence-mixed-southeast-asian-reaction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3247451/likely-agitate-china-european-powers-step-their-indo-pacific-presence-mixed-southeast-asian-reaction?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jan 2024 04:00:13 +0000 Ever since actor Bradley Cooper and model Irina Shayk broke up in 2019, speculation has been rife about the two getting back together … or not. However, one thing has remained constant throughout their apparent relationship ups and downs, and that’s their love for their daughter, Lea. Cooper, 48, told NPR that having a daughter was something he’d “always dreamt of”, while Shayk, 37, told W magazine that being a mother is “one of the greatest things in the world”. However, the pair are among the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3245199/bradley-cooper-and-irina-shayks-unique-co-parenting-style-exes-continue-holiday-together-regularly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3245199/bradley-cooper-and-irina-shayks-unique-co-parenting-style-exes-continue-holiday-together-regularly?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Dec 2023 21:00:08 +0000 “Places without stories are very forgettable. If they don’t have a message, or a purpose to communicate, then people will forget about [them] quickly,” says Gavin Yeung, the Canadian-Chinese co-founder of a newly opened cocktail bar in Hong Kong’s SoHo neighbourhood. As a seasoned food writer – his résumé lists the likes of Hypebeast, Vogue and Tatler Dining, where he is currently senior dining editor – the power of the pen is not lost on Vancouver-born Yeung. It’s why his first hospitality... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3244056/why-chinese-canadian-food-writer-has-made-hong-kong-cocktail-bar-kinsman-shrine-cantonese-liquor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3244056/why-chinese-canadian-food-writer-has-made-hong-kong-cocktail-bar-kinsman-shrine-cantonese-liquor?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Dec 2023 04:45:13 +0000 The Philippines and France agreed on Saturday to ramp up military ties, including possible negotiations to allow soldiers from each country into the other’s territory. French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro signed a letter of intent in Manila to boost bilateral defence cooperation. “We intend to take concrete steps to levelling up and making more comprehensive our defence cooperation,” Teodoro told a joint press conference. That included seeking... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3243634/philippines-france-agree-ramp-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3243634/philippines-france-agree-ramp-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Dec 2023 11:15:26 +0000 Seasoned Chinese traveller Ma Wenjie has no use for tour groups. “When we go to Japan, we just walk the streets and eat as we wish,” she said. The 50-year-old Beijing-based manager of a food import company has travelled to more than 10 countries, including Mexico, the United States, and – for diving adventures – the Philippines. Ma and her husband most recently returned to Japan in September, and with each round-trip flight between Beijing and Tokyo costing about 2,800 yuan (US$383), the pair... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3239307/chinese-tourists-seek-less-trodden-path-overseas-travellers-decline-become-choosier-post-covid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3239307/chinese-tourists-seek-less-trodden-path-overseas-travellers-decline-become-choosier-post-covid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Oct 2023 03:30:12 +0000 As US President Joe Biden hosted leaders of the Pacific island states at the White House on Monday, CNN ran this little news item: “The US is formally establishing diplomatic relations with a pair of Pacific Island nations Monday, recognising the Cook Islands and Niue for the first time.” The 770-word story raises all sorts of questions: Did the two island states fight for independence? Since both have long been constituent parts of “the Realm of New Zealand”, did Wellington agree with their... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3236275/what-independence-really-means-two-tiny-pacific-island-states?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3236275/what-independence-really-means-two-tiny-pacific-island-states?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Sep 2023 13:00:11 +0000 When China announced in April last year that it had signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, an archipelago of about 1,000 tropical islands and atolls, it sounded like it had achieved a diplomatic and strategic breakthrough in the South Pacific. Australia and the United States were alarmed. Washington sent a high-power delegation to convince Honiara, unsuccessfully, to scrap the deal. Pundits and politicians in Australia reacted in hysteria, with one even threatening to bomb the Solomons... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3236016/why-beijings-security-pact-solomons-has-been-huge-blunder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3236016/why-beijings-security-pact-solomons-has-been-huge-blunder?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Sep 2023 13:00:16 +0000 If you are interested in world politics, the geopolitics of the Asia-Pacific, China and the United States, what’s the most enlightening source you have come across recently? Well, let me share mine. But bear with me because you will probably roll your eyes and yawn. That was my reaction because the title itself put me half to sleep when an erudite source referenced it to me: “[US] Senate Energy Committee Hearing on Compact of Free Association Amendments Act.” I know, the title doesn’t invite... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3235752/claims-us-over-central-pacific-now-rival-those-beijing-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3235752/claims-us-over-central-pacific-now-rival-those-beijing-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Sep 2023 13:00:20 +0000 US President Joe Biden was set to announce the opening of new embassies in the Cook Islands and Niue on Monday as his administration aims to demonstrate to Pacific island leaders that it remains committed to increasing American presence in the region. The announcement about the new diplomatic missions in the South Pacific comes as Biden prepares to welcome leaders to Washington for the two-day US-Pacific Island Forum Summit. Talks are expected to heavily focus on the impact of climate change in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3235670/tiny-cook-islands-niue-get-us-embassies-amid-bidens-powered-pacific-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3235670/tiny-cook-islands-niue-get-us-embassies-amid-bidens-powered-pacific-push?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Sep 2023 03:06:09 +0000 When the White House hosts Pacific island leaders on Monday, exactly a year after their first-ever US-led summit in September 2022, President Joe Biden will follow up on his commitment to raise American engagement in the region to the “next level”, according to senior administration officials. “You will see, over the course of a few days, our commitment to reopen embassies,” said one official. “USAID is back in force in the Pacific. The Peace Corps has arrived in many of the islands that they’ve... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3235655/us-back-force-pacific-biden-hosts-regional-leaders-summit-vows-reopen-embassies-following-chinas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3235655/us-back-force-pacific-biden-hosts-regional-leaders-summit-vows-reopen-embassies-following-chinas?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Sep 2023 17:13:18 +0000 French President Emmanuel Macron made a brief but historic stopover in Sri Lanka last month, in a show of France’s desire to offer an “alternative” to the big-power tussle between China, India and the West for influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Macron’s visit comes as France and Sri Lanka mark 75 years of relations, and as both countries aim to boost cooperation in areas such as development aid, maritime security and trade. Analysts say their growing friendship is driven by mutual interests,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3232364/france-offers-third-way-sri-lanka-balances-china-india-ties-it-late-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3232364/france-offers-third-way-sri-lanka-balances-china-india-ties-it-late-party?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Aug 2023 03:30:21 +0000 At a China-France dialogue in Beijing last month, Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng expressed hope that France “will stabilise the tone of friendly cooperation” with the European Union. This comes as French President Emmanuel Macron tries to promote Europe’s strategic autonomy amid the great power contest between the US and China. Beijing’s promise of increased economic cooperation suggests it wants help from Paris to repair its deteriorating ties with the EU. But the manoeuvre could fail if China... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3230091/why-china-should-tread-carefully-around-french-interests-africa-and-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3230091/why-china-should-tread-carefully-around-french-interests-africa-and-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:30:10 +0000 An Australian sailor who was rescued by a Mexican tuna boat after being adrift at sea with his dog for three months says that he is grateful to be alive after setting foot on dry land for the first time since their ordeal began. Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock, 54, disembarked in the Mexican city of Manzanillo on Tuesday local time after being examined on board the boat that rescued him, the Maria Delia. “I’m feeling all right. I’m feeling a lot better than I was, I tell ya,” said Shaddock, smiling,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3228178/australian-lost-sea-dog-opens-about-3-month-ordeal-im-alive-and-i-didnt-really-think-id-make-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3228178/australian-lost-sea-dog-opens-about-3-month-ordeal-im-alive-and-i-didnt-really-think-id-make-it?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jul 2023 03:12:47 +0000 An Australian sailor and his dog survived two months alone at sea after a storm left them stranded in the Pacific Ocean. Sydney resident Tim Shaddock, 51, and his dog, Bella, were rescued from their crippled catamaran on Thursday by a tuna trawler, reported Australian outlet 9News. The pair set off in April from La Paz, Mexico, on a 6,000km journey to French Polynesia, during which a storm erupted and damaged their vessel, according to the outlet. With the boat’s communications knocked out by... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3227943/stranded-australian-castaway-and-dog-survived-2-months-adrift-pacific-eating-raw-fish-and-drinking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3227943/stranded-australian-castaway-and-dog-survived-2-months-adrift-pacific-eating-raw-fish-and-drinking?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:15:11 +0000 When Allen Ware, 62, a California-based Google executive, decided it was time to satisfy his holiday wish list goal of chartering a “big yacht” in Italy, he soon learned that the process was far more complicated than searching online and booking a boat. Ware was no stranger to sailing: he had previously booked sailing boats and catamarans in the British Virgin Islands, some of which he’d captained himself. But with superyachts, he felt over his head. All-in, with tips, Ware and his friends spent... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3227560/ultimate-guide-chartering-luxury-yacht-2023-understanding-pricing-choosing-right-destination-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3227560/ultimate-guide-chartering-luxury-yacht-2023-understanding-pricing-choosing-right-destination-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jul 2023 09:15:58 +0000 Last week, the French navy’s Aquitaine-class destroyer Lorraine made a port call in the Philippines after departing Japan. The itinerary is part of the ship’s long-duration deployment to the region. The port call coincided with the visit of Rear Admiral Geoffroy d’Andigné, joint commander of the French armed forces in the Asia-Pacific, to Manila where he met senior foreign affairs, defence and military officials. This demonstrates France’s desire to play a greater role in the Indo-Pacific as a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3226798/frances-indo-pacific-foray-going-full-steam-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3226798/frances-indo-pacific-foray-going-full-steam-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jul 2023 19:30:12 +0000 Italy is the planet’s largest wine-producing country (7.5 billion bottles annually), but only dedicated oenologists will be aware that Ethiopia has won gold medals at international wine competitions. France churns out bottles by the billion as well, but who knew that wine is made in Tahiti, French Polynesia, with grapes grown in what is probably the world’s most remote vineyard. Spain and Portugal are well-established vino (or vinho) producers, but Morocco and Tunisia have also crafted... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3226783/7-wine-tours-beaten-track-georgia-china-and-india-and-other-cool-attractions-visit-while-you-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3226783/7-wine-tours-beaten-track-georgia-china-and-india-and-other-cool-attractions-visit-while-you-are?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:15:16 +0000 The 94-room Belmond Hotel Cipriani has a storied history. It was opened in the 1950s by the inventor of the Bellini cocktail, with a bar that continues to be legendary. It has an Olympic-sized outdoor swimming pool at the edge of the Canale di San Giorgio Maggiore, apparently the result of confusion between feet and metres during construction. And on Thursday it was named the best hotel in the world by a new list that gives properties a composite score based on information that is compiled from... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3226025/worlds-best-hotel-italy-according-la-listes-inaugural-accommodation-ranking-which-analyses-internet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3226025/worlds-best-hotel-italy-according-la-listes-inaugural-accommodation-ranking-which-analyses-internet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jun 2023 05:45:15 +0000 Over the years, billionaires and executives have poured millions into building their own utopias. Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk plans to build a town named “Snailbrook”, but he is far from the only billionaire or entrepreneur to discuss building his own kingdom of sorts. From Larry Ellison to Peter Thiel, here are 11 billionaires who have taken similar steps. 1. Elon Musk’s “Snailbrook”, “Starbase” and Mars colony Musk is planning to build his own town for... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3216683/11-billionaires-trying-build-their-own-utopias-elon-musks-mars-colony-and-bill-gates-smart-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3216683/11-billionaires-trying-build-their-own-utopias-elon-musks-mars-colony-and-bill-gates-smart-city?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Apr 2023 19:00:17 +0000 Former US president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are a busy couple – and it shows through their net worth. Barack makes his money from a six-figure pension, public speaking and his bestselling books. His latest memoir A Promised Land sold nearly 890,000 copies within 24 hours of its release, according to the AP. From speaking at events around the world to writing memoirs and signing a massive production deal with Netflix, the Obamas’ life after the White House has been full and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3213916/how-barack-and-michelle-obama-make-and-spend-their-millions-their-netflix-public-speaking-and-book?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3213916/how-barack-and-michelle-obama-make-and-spend-their-millions-their-netflix-public-speaking-and-book?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Mar 2023 16:10:16 +0000 China and a group of South Pacific island countries could start talks this year toward their first formal trade agreement, according to an official from a regional network of nations. But while such talks could provide a boost to Beijing’s offshore economic ambitions as US influence spreads in the region, a potential pact is not expected any time soon. The idea of a trade deal is in its “embryonic stage”, said Zarak Khan, director of programmes and initiatives with the secretariat of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3213624/china-south-pacific-trade-talks-being-explored-and-islands-want-gauge-chinas-appetite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3213624/china-south-pacific-trade-talks-being-explored-and-islands-want-gauge-chinas-appetite?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Mar 2023 20:30:09 +0000 With Covid-19 travel restrictions largely a thing of the past for Australian and New Zealand tourists, Pacific destinations are enjoying the return of visitors – albeit at a slower pace than other parts of the world. Tourism in Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands was hit hard by the pandemic, but patience and resilience are starting to pay off. Foreign currencies are once again circulating in those small economies. Recently, Kiribati welcomed its first international cruise ship since... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3212700/pushback-chinese-project-fiji-shows-opposition-mega-tourism-rising-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3212700/pushback-chinese-project-fiji-shows-opposition-mega-tourism-rising-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Mar 2023 21:00:15 +0000 With a gentle breeze on its stern, our tough little Zodiac inflatable boat motors gently up to a deserted beach. Massive kapok trees draped in dense creeping vines fringe the rough coral sands, which are split by a glistening stream from the jungle beyond. But behind the foliage a surprise awaits. As our rubber bow kisses the shore, the tranquillity is shattered by a blood-curdling chorus of screams and yelps. As if disgorged by the jungle itself, an excited band of vine-clad men and boys... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3210052/south-pacific-southeast-asia-small-ship-cruises-offer-intimate-brushes-traditional-culture-those?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3210052/south-pacific-southeast-asia-small-ship-cruises-offer-intimate-brushes-traditional-culture-those?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Feb 2023 23:15:08 +0000 Despite recent moves to expand engagement with Pacific island nations, China’s aid to the region has fallen to a new low amid declining appetites for new infrastructure lending and tightened capital controls in Beijing, according to a Sydney-based think tank. China’s total amount of development financing to 14 island nations fell to US$187 million in 2020, the lowest annual level recorded by the yearly Pacific Aid Map, part of the findings released by the Lowy Institute on Wednesday. China’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3207985/chinese-lending-dips-new-low-pacific-islands-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3207985/chinese-lending-dips-new-low-pacific-islands-report?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jan 2023 10:00:12 +0000 A People’s Liberation Army warship’s solo trip deep into the South Pacific is believed to have been a test of the Chinese navy’s refuelling and supply capacity at sea. The PLA Navy’s guided-missile destroyer Yinchuan (hull number 175) had been sailing near the exclusive economic zone of New Caledonia, a French overseas territory in the South Pacific, about 1,500km east of Australia, according to a French defence ministry tweet on December 29. French navy jets tracked and photographed the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3206010/chinese-navy-warship-spotted-south-pacific-may-have-been-high-seas-resupply-trial-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3206010/chinese-navy-warship-spotted-south-pacific-may-have-been-high-seas-resupply-trial-run?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jan 2023 03:00:17 +0000 Contrary to the image, buying a private island isn’t just for the glitterati and titans of industry – although, along with jets and yachts, they surely rank among the world’s most exclusive trappings of wealth. From Scotland to the Bahamas and all points in between, private islands offer luxury and glamour, along with the privacy. They’re associated with ultra-luxury as well as carrying a whiff of aristocracy, and even though islands can be bought in various parts of the world for less than... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3201853/why-owning-private-island-isnt-glamorous-it-looks-celebrities-johnny-depp-leonardo-dicaprio-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3201853/why-owning-private-island-isnt-glamorous-it-looks-celebrities-johnny-depp-leonardo-dicaprio-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Dec 2022 00:00:09 +0000 President Emmanuel Macron on Friday urged an end to “confrontation” as he outlined his vision for France’s engagement with the Asia-Pacific region. Macron is attending the 21-strong Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Bangkok as he seeks to relaunch France’s strategy for the region in the face of growing US-China competition. France wants to play a stabilising role in the region to avert confrontation, Macron told a gathering of business leaders on the sidelines of the summit. “We... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3200091/macron-says-france-doesnt-believe-confrontation-asia-us-china-power-struggle-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3200091/macron-says-france-doesnt-believe-confrontation-asia-us-china-power-struggle-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Nov 2022 06:51:54 +0000 French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that an offer to cooperate with Australia on submarines still stood, after a bitter row over a cancelled contract last year threatened to torpedo relations. Macron was left furious when Australia’s previous prime minister Scott Morrison abruptly tore up a contract for France to build a dozen diesel-powered submarines and announced a deal to buy US or British nuclear-powered subs. The row derailed relations and threatened to sink an EU-Australia... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3199935/macron-says-france-still-open-reviving-scrapped-submarine-deal-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3199935/macron-says-france-still-open-reviving-scrapped-submarine-deal-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Nov 2022 06:45:59 +0000 China is likely to regard this week’s US-Pacific summit as an attempt to increase the pressure on Beijing in the region, analysts have said. The two-day summit with 14 Pacific island governments in Washington began on Wednesday, the first event of its kind, and is expected to conclude with a joint partnership declaration covering areas such as trade, security, and climate change. Total investment under the partnership is expected to reach over US$860 million, according to The Washington... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3194299/china-facing-increased-competition-us-pacific-washington-hosts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3194299/china-facing-increased-competition-us-pacific-washington-hosts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Sep 2022 13:15:06 +0000 The US has pledged to roll out a strategic plan and “big dollar” assistance at a two-day Pacific Island Nations summit that opened on Wednesday amid hopes that the pomp and “deliverables” of a state visit in Washington will prove a match for China’s growing clout and presence in the Indo-Pacific. The region has emerged as a high-profile wrestling pit between the US and China. But critics say the US took the small but strategically important Pacific Island nations for granted until China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3194184/pacific-island-nations-summit-us-hopes-restore-influence-region-eroded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3194184/pacific-island-nations-summit-us-hopes-restore-influence-region-eroded?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Sep 2022 21:47:07 +0000 The United States will announce “big dollar” assistance to Pacific island nations when President Joe Biden hosts a first-of-its-kind summit with their leaders on Wednesday, a gathering Washington hopes will help counter China’s expanding influence in a new theatre of geopolitical competition. Leaders from 12 Pacific island states are expected to take part in a two-day summit in Washington, with two more sending representatives, and Australia and New Zealand attending as observers. White House... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3194151/us-vows-big-dollar-help-pacific-islands-it-seeks-counter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3194151/us-vows-big-dollar-help-pacific-islands-it-seeks-counter?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Sep 2022 12:28:49 +0000 Leonardo DiCaprio recently split with his girlfriend of several years, Camila Morrone. In the past, the Titanic actor has been romantically linked to supermodel Gisele Bündchen, R&B singer Rihanna and more. DiCaprio’s tendency to date much younger women has spawned countless memes and jokes online. Of course, Leo is never off the market for long, and is currently rumoured to be romancing another supermodel, Gigi Hadid. So, who has the 47-year-old veteran actor dated so far? 1. Naomi... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3192767/15-stars-leonardo-dicaprio-has-been-romantically-linked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3192767/15-stars-leonardo-dicaprio-has-been-romantically-linked?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Sep 2022 17:00:12 +0000 The European Union is working to boost its presence in the Pacific through economic ties and new security commitments as geostrategic competition in the region intensifies, the bloc’s ambassador to Pacific Island nations said on Tuesday. Ambassador Sujiro Seam said in an interview during a visit to New Zealand that the EU had long been seen as a development partner in the Pacific and that it wanted to be perceived as an economic and strategic partner as well. The EU’s push comes as major powers... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3189096/european-union-pushes-increase-economic-security-ties-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3189096/european-union-pushes-increase-economic-security-ties-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Aug 2022 10:01:07 +0000 French President Emmanuel Macron met senior ministers on Monday to calm concerns that preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics are beset by security and budget worries, almost two years to the day before the sporting extravaganza opens. The Olympics should be a centrepiece of the freshly re-elected Macron’s second term, projecting an image of a France comfortable in its modern identity and open to the world. But as the opening ceremony on July 26, 2024 draws closer, concerns have grown over... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3186594/games-wide-open-revealed-slogan-2024-paris-olympics-president-emmanuel-macron?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3186594/games-wide-open-revealed-slogan-2024-paris-olympics-president-emmanuel-macron?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jul 2022 04:01:37 +0000 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed a “new start” in relations with France as he met President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday, after an acrimonious row between the countries over a submarine contract last year. “My presence here represents a new start for our countries’ relationship,” Albanese said after arriving at the Elysee Palace. “Australia’s relationship with France matters. Trust, respect and honesty matter. This is how I will approach my relations,” he added. Macron... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3183863/albanese-macron-cheer-fresh-start-australia-france-ties-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3183863/albanese-macron-cheer-fresh-start-australia-france-ties-after?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jul 2022 13:21:44 +0000 It almost feels like a scene out of the movie musical South Pacific. Our landing craft – a World War II vintage front-loader – alights onto the sugar-sand beach with a soft thump, and we step off into a crowd of musicians and women with armfuls of flower leis. “Bienvenue a Raivavae,” says one, as I stoop to accept one of the fragrant leis, made with tiaré gardenia blossoms, basil shoots and local flora. Raivavae (pronounced rye-vah-vah-eh), is the third stop of our tour through French... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3182597/welcomed-leis-and-ukuleles-extraordinary-south-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3182597/welcomed-leis-and-ukuleles-extraordinary-south-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Jun 2022 23:15:09 +0000 A shark was rescued from an oil refinery off the south coast of Singapore last week after it became trapped in a well that sucks in seawater to cool the facility. The 1.3-metre adult blacktip reef shark was spotted swimming in the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park’s seawater intake bay on June 13. It was stuck in the bay, which measures three metres by five metres, for two days before being retrieved and released by local animal welfare group the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3182618/reef-shark-rescued-singapore-oil-refinery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3182618/reef-shark-rescued-singapore-oil-refinery?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jun 2022 06:09:41 +0000 With official International Olympic Committee (IOC) approval of the 2024 Summer Games competition schedule, athletes and spectators finally have something concrete to count down towards. Tokyo 2020’s year-long postponement has condensed the current Olympic cycle – there are just over two years remaining, even less for qualifiers and registration. Athlete-coach blueprints to peak in Paris are being written up, if they haven’t already, while organisers have nearly firmed up resources, venues and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3172912/paris-2024-olympics-schedule-new-sports-venues-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3172912/paris-2024-olympics-schedule-new-sports-venues-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Apr 2022 07:30:13 +0000